Whether we like to admit it or not, ours is a money and currency-obsessed society. Whether our obsession is manifested through consumption and credit debt or artistic protests against such materialistic waste, it’s fair to say that most of us think about money a lot more than we’d care to admit.

These creative currency creations below stem from that obsession. Whether it’s defaced dollar bills or the resurgence of a bartering system in response to the economy, these articles prove that money and currency is an effective catalyst for inspiration.